Madison Rayne Reveals Why Her Retirement Match Was Kept Quiet

Madison Rayne didn’t want a grand sendoff, fireworks, or a heavily promoted retirement storyline — and now she’s explaining exactly why.

Speaking on Boots to Boots, Rayne detailed how intentional she was about keeping her final match low-key, choosing to quietly step away on Ring of Honor programming rather than turning her retirement into a focal point of AEW television. She admitted she never even pictured what her last match would look like, but she knew one thing for sure: she didn’t want it to become a spectacle.

“I didn’t picture my last match either. All I knew was that I didn’t want it to be a huge, like… I didn’t want it to be promoted as Madison Rayne’s retiring. I didn’t want the focus of what was happening in the women’s division — whether it was going to be on Dynamite or Collision or Ring of Honor — I didn’t want my moment to mess up the dynamic.”

Rayne credited Tony Khan for allowing her to handle it her way, without forcing it into a storyline or spotlight moment.

“So the fact that Tony Khan allowed me to just kind of slide in with my best friend and have this match — and it just kind of fit the way that everything else was happening with Ring of Honor and with the women in Ring of Honor — I’m really grateful for that.”

She also made it clear she wasn’t interested in championship gold, elaborate presentation, or emotional production elements. Instead, the most meaningful part of the experience came from how naturally the day unfolded.

“I didn’t need to go out as champion. I didn’t need the streamers. I didn’t want any of that. I know the things that I’ve accomplished.”

“Actually, as I’m saying this, it almost felt more personal and more special — that people kind of started to find out throughout the course of the day.”

She explained that only a small circle knew ahead of time, and that fans pieced it together organically.

“The people who needed to know, knew. Everyone in the match knew. Tony knew. Our producer knew. Josh knew. Steve knew. But people kind of started to find out as the day went on. And then, like you said, the crowd after the match — they figured it out. It wasn’t shoved down their throats. They figured it out. And it was all just so natural and happened organically.”

Looking back, she believes the quiet approach gave her something more meaningful than a heavily promoted goodbye.

“Because of the way that happened, and the way Tony let us do that, I’m going to look back and be so fulfilled and so happy and know that I did it my way — and I didn’t disrupt anyone else’s moment just to have mine. And I’m thankful for that.”

In an era where wrestling retirements are often turned into extended arcs, Madison Rayne chose privacy, simplicity, and control over the spotlight — and that might say more about her career than any championship run ever could.

Do you prefer when retirements happen quietly like this, or should legendary careers always get a full on-screen sendoff? Share your thoughts and let your voice be heard.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.